Sicily
 DAYS IN 
Sicily

Sicily truly stood out as a highlight of my trip. The stunning beaches, crystal-clear waters, and the softly rolling grasslands created a wonderfully calming atmosphere. This made my time in Sicily unforgettable, and I wish I could have stayed there much longer. While I wouldn’t say there was anything overly spectacular about the place, it had a unique vibe that was hard to resist. I know that visiting any coastal towns would have been just as enjoyable regardless of their popularity.

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With just six full days in Sicily, we visited the main spots: Catania, Taormina, and Palermo. As we traveled from the east to the west, we made a brief stop at Agrigento.

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TRANSPORT | We rented a car because it made traveling between cities more convenient. We picked up the car in Catania and dropped it off in Palermo, where we planned to fly out. Unfortunately, poor planning led us to book a flight out of Catania, so we had to backtrack and take a bus with SAIS Autoline. It was surprisingly convenient and operated frequently, with buses available every hour. The car was primarily for traveling between cities, so it was unnecessary for anyone who did not move around much.

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DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY | I would have done a couple of things differently.

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Regarding transport, the cities aren't car-friendly, so I would have only rented a car to travel between them. We left the car in the garage while we toured Catania (and Mount Etna as we followed a tour), which meant we spent a bit more on renting a car and then paying to have it parked. However, it wasn't a big deal since it was just two days.

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Regarding Palermo, I would have stayed closer to the city center. Staying slightly far out made getting to and from more inconvenient. And I wish I had an extra day to visit the palaces and museums.

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This wasn’t much of a choice, but I wanted to spend two nights in Taormina, specifically at UNAHOTELS Capotaormina. Unfortunately, it was closed during the off-season, as were many other hotels in the area. As a result, we decided to make Catania our base and visit Taormina as a day trip. If the hotel had been open, I would have chosen to stay in Taormina! I know anywhere in Sicily would be a vibe, but there are also places like Trapani, Cefalù, and Termini that I would love to visit if I had more time.

‍HIGHLIGHTS | Everything! Perhaps Spiaggia di Isola Bella and Murgo Winery

Day 0: Catania

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We arrived in the evening, picked up our rental car, and headed to our apartment. Be prepared for tricky driving in the city! The narrow roads are lined with parked cars, and traffic is often slow. Parking along the streets will be challenging as they tend to be packed. It’s a good idea to have accommodations close to parking garages.

 

WE STAYED AT Uflat, a beautifully furnished apartment. It was slightly over my budget, especially since the apartment was smaller than I expected. However, it was a lovely stay and the best-designed apartment on our trip. We stayed here for four nights, and it served as our base for Catania and Mount Etna.

Day 1: Taormina

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Isola Bella

Belvedere di Via Pirandello (viewpoint)

Corso Umberto

Taormina's itinerary was straightforward: visit the beach and explore the town. Isola Bella was teeming with wildlife, and even in the height of winter, many people (in a non-overcrowded way) were relaxing by the coast. I could have easily spent a couple of hours there, but we left after an hour for lunch. I was quite surprised by how empty the city felt, given that many hotels were closed for the off-season. However, the town came alive in the evening, creating a lively and enjoyable atmosphere.

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We initially planned to spend two nights each in Taormina and Catania to experience both places. However, most hotels and apartments were unavailable or closed during the off-season. Since Taormina is just a 45-minute car or train ride from Catania, we decided to stay for four nights in Catania, which also meant less packing. One day, I hope to return in the summer to enjoy Taormina and stay at Unahotel Capotaormina or, if I'm feeling indulgent, at Taormina Infinity Suites.

Day 2: Catania

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Piazza Del Duomo
Catania Fish Market

Teatro Massimo Bellini
Chiesa della Badia di Sant'Agata

Giardino Bellini

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We began our day with a walking tour of Catania, where we learned about Sicily's rich and diverse history, including the best places to find Arancini. We spent the rest of the day exploring the city.

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Even though Catania is a big city, I thought a day was sufficient, as I didn’t feel like there was much to see. It served mainly as a base to visit other areas like Mount Etna and Taormina, and Palermo was more intriguing to me as a city.

Day 3: Mount Etna

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Etna (Rifugio Sapienza)

Murgo Winery

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We could have planned this better, but we only looked at it seriously a day before while traveling around, and let’s just say the information out there on Mount Etna can be a little complicated to digest as a tourist.

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There were a couple of options:

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  1. 1927m: This is the starting point where Rifugio Spenzia and the parking area are. You don’t need a tour to get here. If you’re driving, this is where you will park, and from here, you can take the cable car to a higher altitude or trek around the area. You can see craters all around; the larger ones are the Crateri Silvestri. For hikers, there are also a couple of trails that you can do from here.
  2. 2500m: This is the top of the cable car, or if you’re up for it, you can even hike up from Rifugio Spenzia. You don’t necessarily need a tour to get up here, but if you’re looking to explore different hikes and get to areas like Valle del Bove, it might be easier and safer to follow a tour.
  3. 2900m+: You need a tour! You'll first take a cable car to 2,500 meters, followed by a 4x4 bus arranged by the guide to reach a higher altitude of 2,900 to 3,300 meters before starting the hike. Many hiking trails are available, with the most well-known being Torre del Filosofo at 2,900 meters and, of course, the most significant one, the summit crater Bocca Nuova at 3,300 meters. This tour effectively covers all the key spots.

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The crater would be interesting, but the summit was closed due to eruptions. We didn’t feel like going up the cable car for a hike would be a big difference, given that it was walking around ashes and volcanic rocks (or snow).

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We went for option 1, which was hiking around Rifugio Spenzia. We didn’t need a tour, and I wouldn’t have gone on a tour if I had known. That’s not to say you should avoid a tour. It has its perks - no need to bother with early morning driving, snowshoes were provided, and the fascinating history of Etna was shared. If you’re continuing with a wine tour, there's no need to worry about a designated driver. We went on the Etna wine tour, which I would recommend.

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We went with Murgo Winery (part of the tour) because it was well-rated, but there are many more in the area that would be nice to visit. It was a stunning vineyard with a bird's-eye view of the East Coast. We were able to taste a variety of wines for their set lunch, though their food is nothing to boast about. Unfortunately, because we followed a tour, we all had to pay for the wine-pairing lunch even though some didn’t drink.

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Etna would be suitable for half a day, and it would be good to pair it with other activities like the wineries, the Alcantara Gorge, and even quad-biking (which I would have done if I were with friends). 

Day 4: Enna / Drive to Agrigento

We left Catania and headed to Agrigento, stopping in Enna, an ancient city on top of Sicily. We enjoyed lunch at Giovane Hostaria San Marco before exploring the town. We visited the Duomo di Enna and Lombardia Castle and concluded our visit at a parking lot with panoramic views of Sicily.

 

Due to a slightly late start and traffic leaving Catania, our time in Enna took longer than expected.

Day 5: Agrigento

Valley of the Temples

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Agrigento is known for the Valley of the Temples, an impressive archaeological site featuring ancient temples. Having visited many temples in Greece, Morocco, and Italy, I found the site to be more of a beautiful park than anything else. It is a large area rich in history, with numerous paths to explore, which could take more than a day to fully enjoy (most visitors tend to choose and stick to one path). Remember that many paths are one-way, so you must either walk back to the parking lot or take a taxi to return.

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We stayed in an apartment in downtown Agrigento, directly across from the train station (though we didn’t take the train). It was just a few minutes' walk to the main street, Via Atenea, where plenty of shopping and dining options existed. We spent two nights there to enjoy a full day at the Valley of the Temples, as traveling to and from Agrigento would take a couple of hours, and we wanted to keep our trip relaxing. The spacious apartment offered spectacular views of the sea and the temple from the roof. Since we were there over New Year's Eve, we even enjoyed a partial view of the concert and countdown from our balcony.

Days 6 - 8: Palermo

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Day 6

Stair of the Turks / Scala dei Turchi

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We left Agrigento for Palermo, taking the opportunity to enjoy the coastline along the way. Our first stop was the Stairs of the Turks. While I found the cliff nice, I didn’t think it was unique or worth the drive. However, the beach nearby was lovely. Many people were relaxing there even in winter with a light jacket. Enjoying coffee and unwinding at Lounge Beach Scala dei Turchi was quite pleasant. We spent about an hour there before continuing to Palermo.

 

Upon arriving in Palermo, we returned the car since having it was unnecessary.

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Day 7

Teatro Politeama Garibaldi

Teatro Massimo

Capocollo (Lunch)

Fontana Pretoria

Villa Bonanno

Palazzo dei Normanni

We didn’t have a tour scheduled for Palermo (I can’t remember why), so we decided to explore the city on foot. Our walking route took us from the Teatro Politeama Garibaldi at the top of the town down to the Fontana Pretoria in the center, and then we made our way west to the Palazzo dei Normanni. This stroll gave us a good sense of Palermo, even though we didn’t enter any of these sites.

 

Surprisingly, amid a tourist trap, I can’t forget one of our best sandwiches. Capocollo was fantastic, and I wished I could have returned for another serving before leaving.

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One of the highlights of our trip, which we discovered by chance, was the antique shops near the Palazzo dei Normanni. There were so many shops with a vast range of antique items, and I brought home a couple of painted tiles.

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Day 8

Foro Italico

I walked along the seafront at Foro Italico in the morning before returning. Afterward, we took the bus to Catania airport and returned home.

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Palermo is relatively small, making exploring the entire city in a day easy, which is what we did. However, there was so much more to see, and I wished I had another day or two to visit places like Teatro Massimo, Palazzo dei Normanni, Palazzo Abatellis, Palazzo Butera, and Villa Malfitano rather than just glancing at them from the outside. 

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We stayed at the apartment Dimora D’aumale, a spacious and modern apartment with a great city view of Palermo. It was easy to commute to the city center via bus. However, I would have preferred to stay closer to the city center (closer to Teatro Politeama Garibaldi or, even better, closer to the sea) as bus schedules were not the most reliable and you needed to buy tickets from tabaccheria (kiosks), which are quite prevalent but nowhere as convenient. And you will need cash for the tickets.

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